Clutch plate



Dc. 21, 1943. w, v- THELANDER 2,337,134

CLUTCH PLATE Filed Jan. 29, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 21, 1943. w. v. 'rHl-:LANDl-:R I 2,337,134

CLUTCH PLATE Filed Jan. 29. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l. Patented Dee. 21,1943

UNITED y STATES PATENT ,o1-FICE 2,337,134

W. Vincent Thelander, Rockford, IlL

22 Claims.

This invention relates to motion transmitting elements, and is particularly concerned with improved vibration damping or shock absorbing means, which, while especially designed for aplplication to automotive friction clutch plates, is not limited to such use.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a motion transmitting element having spring means between the relatively oscillatory rotating inner and outer elements and incorporating fluid damping means in the hub to eliminate the tendency for the springs and other portions of the hub structure to sound oi under certain conditions in the operation of the structure. This feature of the invention is of special cordingly does not give a uniform, if any, brak- Y ing effect after the clutch plate or other motion transmitting element has been in service for a time.

A further object consists in the use, in the application of the invention to a clutch plate, of fairly heavy grease or oil as the iiuid damping medium so as to give the desired sluggish operation while at the same time minimizing the danger of leakage, there being, however, very little likelihood of leakage due to the fact that the fluid moves radially outwardly under centrifugal' force in the rotation of the clutch plate away from the central bearing of the plate members on the hub, which is the only possible outlet and which can be and is easily sealed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, lin which- Fig. 1 is a section through a clutch plate made notches therein, the spring. means being removed from one of the notches;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the arcuate line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sectional details showing modiiied or alternative constructions;

Fig. 6 is a half section of another clutch plate of modied or alternative construction embodying the piston and cylinder type checking means shown in the longitudinal sectional detail, Fig. 7, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 6` and 7, respectively, showing still another construction.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

As previously indicated, I have shown my invention as applied to the driven plate of an Aautomotive type friction clutch. However the invention is applicable to motion transmitting elements generally, wherever there are relatively oscillatory inner and outer elements, concentrically arranged. i

Referring iirst mainly to Figs. 1 and 2, the clutch plate shown comprises relatively rotatable inner and outer portions, the inner portion being formed by a center hub I0 splmed for driving connection with the driving shaft II of the transmission and provided with an annular hange l2 onto which the outer portion of the plate is adapted to be assembled in concentric relation with the annular shoulders I3 provided on opposite sides or the enlarged inner portion of the flange l2 in concentric relation with the hub I0.

in accordance with my invention, taken on the wardly bent lugs I8 which, besides providing broad dat seats I9, constitute walls of damping iluid containing chambers 20, as will soon appear. Buttons 2| of liber or other suitable non-metallic materialfor sound deadening 'effect engagethe opposite ends of the coiled compression springs ll and have reduced outer end portions 22 on which are mounted metallic wear resisting washers 23 for engagement with the seats I9 on the lugs I8. The buttons have reduced inner end portions 24 extending into the ends of the coiled as. to reveal the hub ilange with two spring springs to keep-the parts in assembled relation.

l the periphery of the'hub flange I2, has notches 28 cut therein in register with thefopenings I6 in the plates I4 andy is disposed between the plates, as clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 3, for engagement of the notched portions 28 with the spring cushioning means, the drive being taken at one end of the notched 'portions 28 and by the seats I8 at the respectively opposite ends of the openings I6 in a manner well understood in this art. The ring is riveted at circumferentially spaced points, as indicated at 2S, between the peripheral anges 38 of two sheet metal plates 3l, and the joints between these parts may be and are preferably cemented or otherwise sealed against leakage of the vuld damping medium contained between the inner annular housingiportions 32 of the plates 3 I, although if heavy enough grease is used, as contemplated with the construction oi Fig. 5, as will later appear, it is probable that no cementing or sealing means may be found necessary between the riveted portions. The annular housing portions 32 extend in spaced relation to the ring 25 and plates i3 on opposite sides thereof and have central anged openings 33 for close fitting bearing engagement with the annular shoulders I3 on the hub it. Gaskets 34 on the shoulders i3 are held between the hub I6 and the plates 3l to seal the annular hub housing 32 against leakage of the fluid damping medium.

The outer mat-holding portion of the plate may be of any suitable construction, although I have shown a construction similar to that disclosed in my copending application Serial .No. 301,869 issued as Patent #2,221,823 on Nov. 19, 1940, wherein there are two series of mat-holding segments 35 and 36 urged apart by wavy spring steel mush elements 31, the segments 35 and 36 and mush elements 31 being all riveted together 'against the peripheral flange 30 of one of the plates 3l by the rivets 29 previously mentioned. The segments 35 and 36 which are of thin -mild steel stock, in ,accordance with the disclosure of the other application mentioned, have facing rings 38 of suitable composition material, usually containing asbestos, fastened thereto as by means of rivets 39. The one facing ring is adapted to engage the driving face on the back of the flywheel 40, as indicated in Fig. 1, the ywheel being shown mounted on the flange 4I on the end of the crankshaft. The other facing the clutch plate. the springs I1 are compressed to cushion the drive and dampen vibration. At the same time. the vanes 43 move relative to the lugs I8 and accordingly displace the fluid damping medium 48 from certain of the chambers 28 into the others of said chambers and, due to the restriction of the passages 46 and 41, the fluid imposes "an appreciable checking force which further cushions the drive, aiding the springs I1 and relieving these springs of some o f the load. The uid damping medium 48 is shown only in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 to avoid confusion. The recoil action of the springs I1 is also checked by the fluid damping medium as the latter returns through the restricted passages 46 and 41, so that no braking means is required for that purpose, and a smooth drive is obtained. As previously stated, braking means for resisting return of the inner and outer portions of the clutch plate to normal relationship after compression of the spring means i1 are not dependable and are generally unsatisfactory, because of lthe fact that the friction surfaces relied upon are lsubject to wear and there is usually no way of compensating for it, and consequently the braking action is not uniform and in most cases there is no appreciable braking action obtainable after the clutch plate has been in service for a time, long enough for the friction surfaces to wear away to a certain extent. The fluid damping medium 48 is usually heavylubricating oil and this oil affords the desired checking action without any l wear on the relatively movable parts, the oil serving moreover to lubricate the parts and avoid likelihood of wear. Another very important function of the fluid damping medium is'its sound deadening action. I have found that where all conceivable precautions are taken to obtain a quiet operating clutchplate, even to the extent of utilizing fiber buttons, as at 2l, to engage the ends of the springs so that there will be no metal-to-metal contact, the springs themselves sometimes sound off due to vibration. By surrounding the springs with nuid damping medium 48, the springs are kept from sounding 0H, and the same is true of all other parts with which the uid medium 48 is in contact, the result ring is adapted to engage the driving face on the inner side of the pressure plate indicated at 42. The housing 32 has a plurality of radial paddle vanes 43 mounted therein on opposite sides of the plates I4 and ring 25 as by means of lugs 44 projecting through slots 45 provided in the plates 3I, the projecting ends of which are bent over on the outside of the plates, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. These vanes are disposed between the adjoining ends of the spring cushioning means I1 to form walls in circumferentially spaced relation to the lugs I8, which, as previously indicated, form other walls of the damping fluid containing chambers 20.- The lateral walls of the chambers26 are, of course, provided by the plates I4 and 3|, and it is clear from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the lugs I8 terminate in closely spaced relationto the plates 3|, -as indicated at 46, and the vanes 43 terminate in closely spa/ed relation to the plates I4, as indicated at 41. Whenlrelative' movement takes place between the inner and outer portions of being that the present clutch plate operates much more quietly than any of the many others with which I am familiar.

The vanes 43 may be replaced by ribs 43a, as`

shown in Fig. 4, struck inwardly' from the plates 3 Ia forming the housing 32a in circumferentially spaced relation to the lugs i8 on the plates I4. The ribs 43a, it will be understood, extend radially similarly to the vanes 43 and are correspondingly located. This construction will operate similarly to the construction of Figs. 1 to 3, there being substantially the same clearance at 46 and 41 to provide restricted passages for the fluid damping medium 48. On the other hand, I may, as shown in Fig. 5, provide plates 3|b for the housing 32h devoid of any vanes or ribs and utilize a uid damping medium 48a in the form of a heavy grease whose internal resistance to displacement will be sufllcient to give the desired sluggish action in so far as retarding relative movement between the inner and outer portions of the clutch plate both in compression and recoil of the spring means I1 are concerned. The medium 48a, in other words, has sufficient viscosity that the resistance to relative movement is aiorded by the mere agitation of the medium rather than by any actual displacement thereof, the action being comparable, for example, to

what would be obtained if sponge rubber were contained in the housing 32h adhering on the' one hand to the plates Sib and on the other hand to the plates Il, thus serving yieldingly to resist any relative movement'of these parts by the mere distortion of the medium therebetween. The sound deadening eiIect with the constructions of Figs. 4 and 5 is substantially the same as with the construction' of Figs. 1 to 3.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a construction similar to that disclosed and claimed ink my copending application Serial No. 366,960, filed November 25, 1940 and issued as Patent #2,316,820, on April 20, 1943, including an interiltting piston 50 and cylinder 5I surrounding the spring cushioning means Ila in the housing 32c formed by plates 3Ic. The fluid medium 8b l Amay be and preferably is light oil, light enough to flow into and out of the cylinder through the one or more slots 52 in the wall thereof upon compression of the spring means lla and correspending movement of the.piston 50. In that way, the iluid medium 48h cooperating with the piston 50 and cylinder 5| gives the desired restraint or checking action to help cushion thehydraulic medium 48h may be dispensed withand air can be used as the iluid medium. The ports 52 used with air as the iiuid medium will doubtlessly be much narrower and/or shorter than where a hydraulic iluid medium is used, bearing in mind the fact that air is compressible and its compression may be relied upon to a certain extent for a cushioning effect, relieving the springs I'ia of a portion of the load and -accordingly enabling the use of lighter springs, as illustrated. The operation of this clutch plate is substantially the same as 'the clutch plates of Figs. l'to 5, except that` where the hydraulic fluid medium is dispensed with, its sound absorbing function is absent and the quietness of operation will depend upon the extent to which the pistons and cylinders by enclosing Vthe springs Ila tend to deaden the sound of the springs vibration. 'I'he washers indicated at 2|a are of course, upon whether oil or air is utilized as the uid medium 48e.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A clutch plate comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub, and an outer plate portion rigid with the housing and adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction facing material for friction drive of the plate, spring means acting between the hub and housing to resist the relative rotary movement therebetween, a liquid damping medium with which said housing is substantially lled surrounding the spring means to absorb thel sound incident to vibration thereof, and fluid checking means utilizing said liquid for its working :duid for relieving the spring means of a portion of the load in the relative rotary movement and retarding the recoil actionv thereof.

.2. A clutch plate comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner mem- Y ber comprising a center hub, the outer member of ber or other sound deadening material to l 52a for inlet and outlet of air or other uid medium 48e in the housing 32d formed by the plates 3id. A plug 53 having a reduced portion 5l to iit tightly in the end of the cylinder Sia to seal that end provides a bearing for onewend of the spring Hb on its one side and is arranged to have engagement on its other side with the lugs I8 and ring 25. A washer 54 is riveted to' the reduced outer end of the piston 50a, as shown, and cooperates in a similar manner with the other end of the spring and with the lugs I8 and ring 25. The operation of this construction is similar to that of Figs. 6 and 7, depending,

comprising a housing surrounding the hub, and

an outer plate portion rigid with the housing and adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction facing material for friction' drive of the plate, spring means in said housing for resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and outer plate portion, a heavy grease constituting iluid damping medium with which said housing is substantially filled surrounding the spring means to absorb the soundincident to vibration thereof, and checking means utilizing said grease as its working iluid to resist relative rotary movementbetween the hub and outer plate portion.

3. lA clutch plate as set forth in claim 2, including non-metallic sound deadening means between the spring means and said hub and housing eliminating metal-to-metal contact therebetween.

4.A clutch plate comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub, and an outer plate portion rigid-with the housing and adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction 'facing material for friction drive of the plate, spring means in said housing for resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and housing, a liquid damping medium with which said housing is substantially filled, and paddlel means on the walls of said housing movable with respect to the liquid in the relative rotary movement between the hub and housing to resist they relative movement in either direction. l

5. A clutch plate as set forth in claim 1, including non-metallic sound deadening means between the spring means and said hub and housingeliminating metal-to-metal contact therebetween.

6. A clutch plate comprising .relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub, and an outer plate portion rigid with the housing and adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction facing material for friction drive of the plate, spring means in said housing for resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and housing, a liquid damping medium with which said housing is substantially filled, and paddle means on the hub in said housing and on the walls of said housing movable relative to each other and to the liquid therein to resist relative rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction.

7. A clutch plate comprising relatively rotatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub and an outer plate portion rigid with the housing and "adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction facing material for friction drive of the plate, spring means'acting between the hub and housing to resist the relative rotary movement therebetween, oil with which said housing is substantially filled, said spring means being immersedin said oil, iiuidchecking means operating with said oil as its working fluid for relieving the spring means of a portion of the load in the relative rotary movement and retarding the recoil action of said spring means, and non-metallic sound deadening means between the spring means and said hub and housing eliminating metal-to-metal contact therebetween.

8. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the

' outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub and adapted to have limited rotary movement relative to the hub, spring means in said housing for resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and housing, a liquid damping medium with which said housing is substantially filled, and a paddle projection on a wall of said housing extending inwardly into close proximity with the hub so as to provide a restricted passage therebetween for circulation of the liquid in said housing, the liquid being displaceable by said paddle upon relative rotary movement between thehub and housing in either direction.

9. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub and adapted to have limited rotary movement relativeto the hub, spring means in said housing for resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and housing, a liquid damping medium with which said housing is substantially filled, paddle projections on the hub in said housing extending-outwardly into close proximity with a wall of said housing so as to provide restricted passages through which liquid displaced by the paddle projections is adapted to circulate upon relative rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction, and other paddle projections on a wall of said housing extending inwardly into close proximity with a portion of said hub so as to provide other restricted passages through which liquid displaced by said paddles upon relative1 rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction is adapted to circulate.

10. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a hub having an annular flange, and circular plates secured to the opposite sides of said flange having registering openings provided therein in circumferentially spaced relation, the outer member comprising a ring member in concentric relation with and surrounding said flange between the aforesaid plates and having openings therein in register with the aforesaid openings, and two circular housing plates having bearing engagement centrally thereof on the hub and secured peripherally to the opposite sides of said ring member, and coiled compression springs in said openings arranged to resist relative rotary movement between the hub and outer member, said springs being enclosed by said housing plates and retained thereby against displacement from said openings.

11. A motion transmitting element as set forth Vin claim 1o, including a. liquid damping mediumwith which the housing defined between the housing plates is substantially filled.

12. A motion transmitting element as set forth in claim 10, including a liquid damping medium with which the housing defined between the housing plates is substantially illled, the circular plates secured to the opposite sides of the hub ange having lugs bent outwardly therefrom at the opposite ends of the openings therein providing seat surfaces on their inner sides for engagement with the springs, the outer surfaces of said lugs constituting paddle means for displacing the liquid damping medium in the relative rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction.

13. A motion transmitting element as set forth in claim 10, including a liquid damping medium with which the housing defined between the housing plates is substantially filled, and paddleY projections extending inwardly from the housing plates toward the circular plates secured to the opposite sides of the hub ange for displacement of liquid damping medium upon relative rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction.

14. A motion transmitting element as set forth in claim 10, including a heavy grease to serve as a liquid damping medium with which the housing defined between the housing plates is substantially filled.

15. A motion transmitting element as set forth in claim 10, including a heavy grease to serve as a Aliquid damping medium with which the housing defined between the housing plates is substantially filled, the circular plates secured to the opposite sides of the hub viiange having lugs bent outwardly therefrom at the opposite ends of the openings therein providing seat surfaces on their inner sides for engagement with the springs, the outer surfaces of said lugs confor resisting relative rotary movement between the hub and outer plate portion, a heavy grease constituting a fluid damping medium with which said housing is substantially illled surrounding the spring means to absorb the sound incident to vibration thereof, and paddle means acting between the housing and hub in the iluid damping medium to increase resistance to relative movement in either direction.

i7. A clutch plate comprising relatively rotatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub and an outer plate portion rigid with the housing and adapted to have limited rotary movement therewith relative to the hub, said outer plate portion carrying friction facing material for friction drive of the plate, spring means acting between the hub and housing to resist the relative rotary movement therebetween, oil withV which said housing is substantially filled, said spring means being immersed in said oil, and fluid checking means operating with said oil as its working fluid for relieving the spring means of a portion of the load in the relative rotary movement and retarding the recoil action of said spring means.

18. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing'surrounding the hub and adapted to have limited rotary movement relative to the hub, spring, means in said housing for res'istingyrelative rotary movement between the hub and housing, a liquid 6 damping medium with which said housing is substantially iilled, and a paddle projection on the hub in said housing extending outwardly into close proximity with a wall of said housing so as to provide a restricted passage therebetween for circulation of the liquid in said housing, the liquid being displaced by said paddle upon relative rotary movement between the hub and housing in either direction.

19. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a hub having an annular ange, and circular plates secured to pression springs in said openings arranged toI resist relative rotary movement between the hub andl outer member, said springs being enclosed by said housing plates and retained thereby against displacementfrom said openings, the housing defined between the housing plates containing a liquid damping medium, and sealing means for said housing to prevent leakage of said liquid damping medium comprising gasket rings surrounding the hub and compressed between the ilange and the housing plates.

20. A motion transmitting element comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a hub having an annular flange and annular shoulders on opposite sides of said flange in concentric relation with the hub and flange, and circular plates secured to the opposite sides of said ange and centered on said annular shoulders in concentric relation to the hub and having registering openings provided therein in circumferentially spaced 'relation in the outer peripheral portion thereof, the outer member comprising a ring member in concentric relation with and surrounding said ange between the circular plates and having openings provided therein in .register with the aforesaid openings, and two circular housing plates having bearing engagement centrally on the hub and secured peripherally to the opposite sides of said ring member, coiled `compression springs in said openings arranged to resist relative rotary movement between the hub and outer member, said s'prings being enclosed by said housing plates and retained thereby against displacement from said openings, the housing deilned between the housing plates containing a liquid damping medium, and sealing means for said housing to prevent leakage of said liquid damping medium comprising gasket rings surrounding the hub and compressed between the annular shoulders on the hub and the housing plates.

21. A motion transmitting element, comprising relatively oscillatable inner and outer members, the inner member comprising a center hub, the outer member comprising a housing surrounding the hub adapted to have limited rotary movement relative to the hub, spring means acting between the hub and housing to resist the relative rotary movement therebetween, a liquid damping medium with'which said housing is substantially filled surrounding the spring means to absorb the sound incident to vibration thereof. end iiuid checking means utilizing said liquid for its working fluid for relieving the spring means of a portion of the load in the relative rotary movement and retarding the recoil action thereof.

22. A motion transmitting element as set forth in claim 21, including non-metallic sound deadening means between the spring means and said hub and housing eliminating metal-to-metal contact therebetween.

- W. VINCENT THELANDER. 

